Street-sweeping machine.



G. H. BUTLER.

STREET SWBBPING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 11Eo.1e.19o5.

909,865, Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

6 SH SETS-SHEET 1.

C. H. BUTLER.

STREET SWBBPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.16,1905. 909,865

g//zeses' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

O. H. BUTLER.

STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED Dno.16,19o5.

909,865. Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

C. H. BUTLER.

STREET SWEEPING- MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED Dno.1e,1eo5.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I c. H. BUTLER.

STREET lSWBEPING MACHINE. APPLICATION II-LBD DEO.16.1905.

PatentedI Jan. 19, 1909.

' 0 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

G. H. BUTLER. STREET SWEBPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DB0. 1s. 1905.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

/affe Zuger @iff/0 By Mm w S S w n W A TTORNE Y f CHARLES H. BUTLER, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

STREET-SWEEPIN G MACHINE.

.Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1a, ieoe.

Application led December 16, 1905. Serial No. 292,004.

To all 'whom it 'may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES H. BUTLER, citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful vImprovements in Street-Sweeping Machines,

of whlch the following is a specication.

- finest dust to newspapers, stones, and the coarsest material without the need of wetting the street or spraying the material after it' is taken into the machine; the collecting process being essentially a dry one, although the machine is also adapted as an ordinary sweeper for wet weather use also; it is myespecial object to effect improvements in neumatic street sweepers by which the rush is better adapted to go around corners and is capable of self-ad'ustment to the natural shaking of the vehicle; which machine will pick up every particle of dust l ing in holes or alongside of car tracks, an which will prevent any material escaping from the brush byf providing a peculiar system of aprons in front and rear of the brush; which will have separate passages for the finer and coarser collections and which will have means for preventing papers and other light but coarse mattei` passing through the fans and settling devices to clog the machine; and `in which machine an improved form of open brush is usedwith means for adjusting the brush on the carriage.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and the combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation. of the right side of the machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left side of the machine showing drivingconnections. Fig. 3 is a lonvitudinal section of the machine on line -X-I, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine with parts broken away to show inside machinery. Fig. 5 is an end View of machine with brush `and casinglremoved and parts broken away to show vibrating shaft for strainer and settling tubes. Fig. 6 is an end view of part of machine to show connections of brush casing to the vehicle; part of the covering of the casing being removed. Fig. 7 is a detail in section of the spring tension means for bracing the brush casing endwise. f Fig. 8 is a plan view of the aprons 3 showing the means by which they may be lifted clear of the ground. Fig. 9 is a sectional View showing a fragment of the conveyer 8l and the setting tubes. Fig. 10 is an elevation partly in section of one of the adjustable boxes 14:

and its operating mechanism. Fig. 11 is a lectionall detail showing a spring-,pressed A represents a suitabletruck or carriage to be propellel or moved over the ground by any appropriate means.

2 is a` rotary brush'or cylindrical broom of suitable construction mounted at the rear of the vehicle and transverse to the line of draft with its under edge adapted to turn towards the front of the vehicle to sweep up the dirt onto a curved, hinged sectional apron 3 arranged immediately forward of the brush. e

The apron 3 is preferably made in sections Fig. 5 to accommodate it to the unevennesses of an ordinary street and not cause the entire apron, which extends the full length of the brush. to lift when going over a rock or bump. The apron is hinged at the top to the vehicle frame .A and drags along the ground just in front of the brush.

The dirt, including especially the heavier I' particles of rubbish swept up by tlie'brushi onto the apron, is received onto an endless belt conveyer 4 and carried upward and forward to the front of the machine where it is dumped into a removable receptacle 5 in` chamber 5.

The brush is mounted in a cylindrical casing 6 which is sup' orted on the caster wheels 13, adapted to trail behind the vehicle. This easing consists of two heads lConnected across by slats 6 over which a canvas cover 1s stretched and removably secured, to inclose the brush, except at the bottoni Where the brush contacts with the ground and at the front where the'brush sweeps the refuse up concentric with the brush and extending the length of the casing. l To the lower edge of the plate are pivotally attached a series of hinged flaps 9, Figs and 6,which are pressed against by springs 9, said flaps adapted normally to travel in close proximity with the ground, but which will readily accommodate themselves individually to any unevennesses in the road-way. The plate 8 and the flaps 9 extend somewhat under the brush but not far enough to interfere with the sweeping contact of the brush with the surface 'of the road-way to be cleaned. The object of the rear curved plate 8 is to catch such dirt as may be swept up above the conveyer 4 and. carried over by the brush, and to re-direct this once lifted dirt down under the brush to he swept up again, or as many times as may be necessary to deliver it finally into the machine. I found by actual experience that without this rigid direction plate, more or less dirt was carried over by the brush, particularly where the latter was rvolved at a rapid rate, and was likely to be deposited in the street behind the brush.

Inasmuch as it is impractical to have the 'lower edge of the plate itself close enough to the ground to produce the desired return effect, I provide the numerous spring actuated hinged flaps 9, each of which is about six inches in length and made of belting or some like flexible material. These aps normally stand in the same plane with each other and in continuation with the plate 8 and come in close proximity both with the brush and the ground beneath the brush. Any bump or obstruction, car-track lor 4the like, that may be encountered by any of the flaps simply bends one or more of the flaps back, allowing the machine to pass on without occasioning breakage of any sort. As soon as a flap 1s released yit swings forward again into position in line with the rest of the fiaps. ,Y

A few inches forward of the metal apron sections 3, or between the apron and the front of the vehicle, I arrange a iexible curtain 10, Figs. 1 and 3, which drags on the ground and serves to catch any dirt or dust which may be swept forward underneath the apron when the latter is raised by going over a bump, car-track, or other obstruction in the roadway. As the natural unevennesses of an'ordinary roadway will seldom allow the apron or an apron section, even if only three or four feet 1n length, to travel in contact along its whole length with the ground, it is manifest that the brush will tend to sweep more or less dirt and dust beneath the apron each time any part pf it is lifted. The supplemental apron 10 has the effect of at least confining the dust raised bythe brush entirelywithin the casing. This is important because this machine is essentially a dry collection apparatus and the best and most sanitary results are achieved with a perfectly dry roadbed. For this reason theends of the casing 6 are provided with the pendent flaps 20 so that the brush in fact is entirely incased except for the opening necessary for the taking up of the dirt from the street and for its discharge into the machine.

The brush 2 is of such construction that air and dust may pass readily through it, since one of the especial features of my improved apparatus is the use of air induction means to draw the finest particles of dust into the machine and store it there, all in a dry condition. i

Having especial reference to Figs. 1 and G, the brackets 7 to which the casing 6 is .fixedly secured, are pivoted to the Vehicle frame at 12, and the brackets and the entire ported on the swiveled rubber tired casters 13. The brush is adjustable in its casing so as to act with greater or less force on the roadway or to be lifted entirely free from the roadway, as'where the machine is not engaged in actually sweeping. This vertical adjustmentfof the brush is effected by the following means: The brush axle 2a projects through slots in the heads of the casing and turns in boxes 14 which slide in suitable vertical guides 11 in the brackets 7. A bolt 1 5 is fixed to each box 14 and passes up through fixed guides 15-17 on'a receptive bracket 7 and carries a bevel gear nut 16. The latter bears on the'part 17 and supports the bolt. The nut meshes a gear 18 on a shaft 19 which is journaled on casing 6. By engaging the polygonal end of shaft 19, both gears 18 may be turned to raise or lower the brush and produce the desired adjustment. The slots (not shown) in the heads of the casin for the axle to work up and down in, may e covered by a flap (not shown) to prevent the escape of dust from the casing.

The brush and casing in large machines weigh several hundred pounds and therefore it is preferred to support them independent of the vehicle. must follow the path of the vehicle and at the same time be relieved of the shocks, jolts and rocking to which the vehicle is subjected in rounding corners or of the vehicle Nevertheless they wheels going into depressions or over bumps j in the roadway. The vbrackets 7 ,are hinged to the vehicle frame by the rods 7 whlch latter are free to work up and down in the fixed vertical guides 21 (clearly shown in Fig. 5). The casing is braced endwise from opposite sides of the vehicle frame by two rods 22 arranged crosswise and connected one to one end of the casing and the other rod to the other end of the casing, with suitable turnbuckles 23 and springs 24 Thus while the turnbuckles may be adjusted so as to -cause the casing and brush to travel always in proper position behind the vehicle,

the shocks and sudden jqlts given the vehicle are absorbed or cushioned by the springs 24 and are not transmitted to the heavy brush and casing. This has been .found to be quite important in a big practical machine. In this endwise movement of the brush and casing independent of the vehicle frame, the mounting of the rollers 13 on vertical axes 13', caster fashion, aids the rods 22 and springs 24, since the rollers will also turn more or less on these axes and make the adjustment of the casing and brush to the vehicle frame more sensitive.

The carrier 4 onto which the heavier particles of dirt and rubbish are delivered, may be of any appropriate construction and travels in a suitable passage Way 25 in the vehicle frame'. One end of this passage way is open to the brush and the other to the receiving chamber 5L f The finer and lighter particles of dust raised by the brush are drawn by the fans 27,'Fig. 3, up through the centrally disposed air trunk 26, which intersects passageway 25 proximately to the brush. The fans deliver the dust thence through the branch trunks 26 into an overhead dust chamber 28. The air ressure therein being reduced, the dust is al owed to spread out andsettle into the open ended flexible settling tubes 29 which connect chamber 28 with an underneath passage way 30. A conveyer 31 operates in the passage 30 to carry the settled particles of dust forward into a second set of removable receptacles in a se arate dust proof chamber 32 in the vehicle flame.

The tubes 29 are preferably ofthin and light' but closely-woven cloth which will allow the air to pass through the mesh but which will retain the finest dust. There are usually several hundred of these tubes and they are of sufficient length so that the air has plenty of time to expand and to escape through the mesh of the cloth in order not to disturb the settled dust in passage-way 30 and chamber 32.

Indry Weather, whichis the only time the air induction means are used, a portion at l'eaeti of the length of the tubes is open for a free circulation of air between them and for the escape of air. In wet weather, when the brush alone is used, the tubes may be inclosedby a curtain 33 to keep them dry.

As it is impractical for various reasons to make the conveyer 4 and in fact the vehicle `frame, as wide as the length of the brush, or conversely to shorten the brush to fit the space between the vehicle wheels, I have devised a plan whereby I' may use a long brush and'a comparatively narrow conveyer 4 and contracted air passages. This I accomplish (Figs: 3"-5) by arranging the conveyer 4 centrally and lacing a lateral conveyer 4 at each side o' conveyer 4-and operating atright angles thereto, for the purpose of scraping or moving inward onto conveyer 4 the deposits on the sides of the expanded end of passage 25 adjacent to the brush and behind the rear wheels of the vehicle.

Any suitable means, mounted on the vehicle may be employed to operate the brush, the fans and the several conveyors. As shown in Fig. 3 I employ a motor 34 of the explosive engine type. From the' engine shaft extends a belt 36 to a counter-shaft 37. Motion is transmitted from the latter to a shaft 38 by the crossed belt 39, and thence by a belt 40 to the fan-shaft 27.

A relatively slower movement is given to the brush and to the conveyers; hence shaft 37 carries a small gear 37 meshing a large gear 37a on a shaft 41. From the latter power is transmitted to shaft 42 by a chain 43.

As seen in Fig. 2 a chain 42 passes over a sprocket on shaft 42 and around two idle sprockets 42-42b and around a sprocket on an arbor 45, thus turning the latter in the opposite direction to shaft 42. Arbor 45 carries a second sprocket around which a chain 44 passes to a sprocket 011 the axle 301 of the front roller of conveyer 4 to drive'the latter.

Ileferringto Fig. 1, a chain 46 ypasses around a. sprocket on shaft 42 and around a corresponding sprocket on the axle 3la of the rear roller of conveyer 3l to operate the latter in the proper manner. The lateral conveyers 4 are driven from shaft 42 by the following connections, Figs. l and 4: A chain 47 passes over a sprocket on shaft 42 and over a corresponding sprocket on a shaft 48 which extends across the machine Shaft 48 carries a bevel gear 49 at each end which meshes a corresponding gear 50 on an inclined shaft 4'i Fig. 3, of a corresponding conveyer 4.

Shaft 41 carries a. sprocket around which a chain 51 (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 4) passes back to drive the brush.

The fans have sufficientpower to cause a strong suction through the brush and take up every particle of dust raised or loosened by the brush. In order to prevent papers, sticks, and the like being drawn up into the fans and carried forward to the settling tubes and possibly to clog or break the apparatus I arrange a suitable strainer at the entrance to the air trunks 26. This strainer consists of a rockable bar 52, (Fi `s. 35) to which are secured a number o spaced rods or tines normally resting by gravity on shaft 48. Shaft. 4S (Fig. 3) carries a cam 54, which by contact with a rod or tine the-vibrating rods or fingers ofthe strainer and fall back into the passage 25 and upon the conveyer` 4. The front walls of the air trunks in their lower portion below the fans are provided with the vertical arrester 55 Fig. 3 around which a whirling action of the dust is occasioned by the suction of the fans; the lighter imponderable particles of dust being drawn over and around the baies 55-55 into the trunk 26, and the heavier particles having more or less time to settle and fall back onto the conveyer 4.

In order that the vehicle may be backed without liability of injuring the metal aprons 3, I provide suitable means by which the apron sections can be lifted clear of the ground. As shown a lever 56 arranged'near the drivers seat operates two cor'ds 57 which pass around direction pulleys 58 on the vehicle frame and back to the centrally pivoted spring actuated arms 59 disposed under the sections of apron 3. By throwingflever 56 in one direction the arms 59v are turned to lift the apron sections. Throwing lever 56 ifn the other Idirection allows the/ sections to all.

Levers 60-61 operate respective clutches 62-63 by which the brush on one hand and the several conveyers and fans on the other, are controlled. When the device is acting as a pneumatic sweeper both clutches are thrown in. If the brush alone is to be used then only the corresponding clutch is in andthe other is thrown out. If the machine isy stopped for any reason without stopping the engine, both clutches are thrown out.

The clutches 62-63 are shown in Fig. 4 as operable from their respective levers 60-61 -by the following connections: Levers 60-61 `up' by the brush into the'open throat of are mounted on respective rock shafts (3W-61. Both these shafts rcarry respective crank arms to which the rods or links 65 connect. Links 65 connect with respective bell-cranks 66: One bell-crank 66v connects through a rod 67 with a lever 69 fulcrumed at 70. This lever 69 connectswith the clutch 62 to move the latter in and out. The other bell-crank 66 connects through a rod 7 3 with a lever 72 by which clutch 63 is manipulated.

In operation the brush is lowered into suitable operative contact with the roadway and entirely inclosed except where it contacts with the roadway and where it discharges onto the conveyer 4, so that 4no'dust that is stirred up by the brush may escape from the casing. Vith the brush, thefans and the various conveyers set'in proper motion the dirt is swept and, sucked up. from the kroadway and carried, into the machine the powerful suction created by the fans draws the air into the casin under the Haps 9 and-through and around t e brush so that not one particle, of even the .finest dust, las has been proved by actual experience, es"- capes. The heavy particles that are swpt passageway 25 is received directly onto the carrier 4, or is delivered there onto by means of the lateral conveyers 4. The fine particles of dust separated from the coarser material too large to pass throuoh the combs 53, are taken up through the, air trunks 26 and delivered into the overhead settling chamber 28 and tubes 29 wherein they have a chance to settle and`nally drop upon the conveyer 31 and are delivered into the recepacle in the dust proof chamber 32.

o wetting of the roadway nor of the dust gathered into the machine occurs during any period of the operation; the process being essentially a drycollection one. `The dust chambers 5 and 32 are closed' by suitable doors properly rendered dust proof, especially the chamber which receives the collection from the fans.

A. system of dry cleaning is preferred, because in the first place, it removes every article of dirt and germ-carrying refuse rom the pavements, leaving nothing sticking to the latter as where street-sprinkling is resorted to; secondly, the vehicle has less weight to pack aroundl where the material is dry than where it is wet; thirdly, a dry collection system is advantageous for saniy tary reasons, since` moisture is generally helpful to the multiplication and spread of germs and bacteria. l

In wet weather the pneumatic feature of the machine is not operated, the cleaning being entirely done by means of the brush. Q

A suitable germicide may be placed between the settling tubes at the end of each run and the curtains 33 closed down. This germicide will permeate through and around the tubes and tube chamber and destroy any erms which may lodge in thechamber or in the fabric of the tubes.

Having thus described my invention, what lI claim, and desire'to secure by Letters Pat- 1. In a street cleaning ap aratus, the coinbination of av wheeled-vehic e frame, a brush, a casin therefor, pivotal' connections between t e casing and frame, resilient con-- nections between the frame and casing to cushion the movement of vthe casing inde- Ipendent of said frame, vand means for operlsaid. receptacle.

f A 3. In astreet cleaning apparatus, the coml iis cleaning apparatus, the con'i-v liol bination of a wheeled-vehicle frame, a brush, a. casing. therefor rollers. supporting the` casi ing, and dpivotal connections between the casing an` nections. between the` casin and the vehicleA to cushion the movement of the casing independent of the frame, means for operating the brush, receptacles on the vehicle, means for conducting the sweepings to said receptacles, and means for vertically adjusting the brush independent of the casing.'

4. In street sweeping apparatus the combination of a wheeled-vehicle frame, a brush, a casing therefor, a brush shaft, brackets pivoted at the sides of the frame and having slots, boxes slidable in said slots and carrying the ends of -the brush shaft, means for raising and lowering the boxes, means for operating the brush, a conveyer on the ve.

hicle receiving the sweepings from the brush,

- said casing having a deflecting plate rearward of the brush and provided with spring actuated Hap-members contiguous to the ground and brush, said deflecting plate and ap-members operating to deliver again to the brush the material previously carried over by the brush.

5. In street cleaning apparatus the combination of a vehicle, a rotary brush carried thereby, a casing for the brush connected with the vehicle, resilient connections between the frame and casin to cushion th`e movement of the casing in ependent of the frame, means for o erating the brush,said

vehicle being provi ed with dust. passages, conveyers operating in said dust passages, said casing being provided with means for directing the material, raised by the brush but carried over and beyond the point of delivery into the machine, again into the range of action of the brush.

6. In street cleanin apparatus the combination with a vehic e frame, of a roller supported casing pivotally connected with the vehicle frame, means for operating the brush, means connected with the brush for vertically adjusting the same'independent of the casing, receptacles in the vehicle for the sweepings of the brush, a hinged apron on the vehicle in advance of the' brush and cooperating with the latter to deliver material dellectin casing for the brush, brackets pivotally connecting the casing to the frame, a shaft for the brush said shaft having its ends slidable vertically relative to the casing, rollers carried by the brackets and supporting the casing, said rollers turnable about vertical axes,

the vehicle frame, "resilient corkn means connected with the brush shaft for vertically4 adjusting the same and the brush relative tothe casing, and means for operatin g. the. brush.

8. In street cleaning apparatus the combination of a portable frame, a rotary brush, a casing for. saidv brush, said vehicle carrying receptacles for receiving the material raised by the brush, a curved detlecting plate arranged behind the brush to direct material carried over by the brush beneath the brush again; means for o erating the brush, and hinged-flaps on the ower edge of said plate contiguous to the brush and ground.

9. In street cleaning apparatus the combination with a vehicle frame, of a rotary brush, a casing therefor, brackets connected with the vehicle frame and fixed to and supporting the casing, swiveled rollers for the brackets, flexible connectionsbetween the casing and vehicle, frame to cushion the movement of the casing independent of the frame, and means for operating the brush.

10. In street. cleaning apparatus the combination of a Wheeled-vehicle frame, a rotary brnsh,a casing therefor, means for operating the brush, a normally-pendent hinged apron in advance of the brush, and operating means for lifting the apron to permit the vehicle to back, said last named means including a-- lever arm disposed under the apron, a connection from said arm extending to the front portion of the vehicle.

11. In street cleaning apparatus the combination of a vehicle frame, a rotary brush,

a Casin therefor vsaid vehicle frame havin a passageway. open to the casing, a conveyer operating in said passageway, lateral conveyers arranged at o posite ends of the firstnamed conveyer an discharging onto said first-named conveyer, and means for operating said conveyers and brush.

12. In street cleaning apparatus the combination of a vehicle frame, a brush, a casing therefor, said lvehicle frame having a passageway open to the casing, a conveyer operating in said passageway, said frame also having air trunks intersecting said passao'eway, air induction means in said air trunks, means for operating the conveyer and air induction means, receptacles on the vehicle for receiving accumulations raised by the brush, and a vibrating strainer intermediate of the air induction means and the said conveyer.

13. In street cleaning apparatus the combination of a vehicle frame, a rotary brush, a casing therefor, saidvehicle having a passageway open to the interior of the cas1ng, a conveyer 'operating in said passageway, said vehicle frame having air trunks connected with said passageway, air induction means in said air trunks, settling devices into which said air trunks discharge, straining means intermediate of the air induction means and the aforesaid passageway, mechanism for vibrating said straining means, lateral conveyers discharging onto the rst-named conveyer, and means for operating the conve ers, the air induction means and the brus 14. In street cleaning apparatus the combination of a vehicle frame, a rotary brush, a casing therefor, said vehicle frame having a passageway communicating with the space inclosed by the casing, a conveyer in said passageway, air induction means also communicating with the interior of the casing, said brush havingan open center to permit a free circulation of air through it, settling devices connected with the air induction means, a separate conveyer receiving the deposits from said settling devices, said veicle frame having separate chambers into which said conveyers discharge, and means on the vehicle for operating the brush, the air induction means and the conveyers collectively, and for operating the brush alone.

15. In street cleaning apparatus the combination of a vehicle frame, a rotary brush, a casing therefor, said vehicle frame having a passageway open to the casing, a conveyer loperating in said passageway, lateral conveyers discharging onto said first-named conveyer, means for operating said conveyers and brush, an air induction means on the vehicle coperating with the brush and con- Veyers to deliver the finer particles of dust into the machine, a settlin device for the material raised by the air induction means, said air induction means disposed between the brush and said settling device, straining means between the brush' and said air induction means to prevent the coarser matter passing to said induction means, and means for vibrating said straining means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- `nesses. CHARLES H. BUTLER. Witnesses VXLLIAM DUNSTAN, E. M. HALL, Jr. 

